Governance gaps, murky deals and irregular payments » Capital News
NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 6 — A sweeping audit of the eCitizen digital payments platform has uncovered massive governance gaps, unauthorized transactions, and systemic failures that may have led to the loss and mismanagement of over KSh10.8 billion in public revenue.
The damning findings, contained in a special audit report by the Auditor General, have raised serious concerns over the transparency and integrity of the platform, used by more than 220 government entities for revenue collection.
President William Ruto’s administration has positioned eCitizen as a revolutionary tool designed to enhance service delivery, automate revenue collection, and curb cash leakages.
However, the audit reveals that the platform operates without a legal framework, leaving it vulnerable to exploitation.
Despite Executive Order No. 2 of 2023, which allocated roles between the Ministry of Interior (through the Directorate of Citizen Services) and the National Treasury (via the Government Digital Payments Unit), the report found no statute or policy framework to anchor the platform in law.
This has resulted in blurred lines of authority between ministries and left no single entity with full oversight of the platform’s governance, technical control, and financial operations.
“Without a clear governance structure, the eCitizen platform faces risks of misalignment in responsibilities, which can lead to inefficiencies, security vulnerabilities, and inconsistent service delivery,” the Auditor General warned.
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